Fish Leather, Pliers And More

The June 2016 newsletter from Amy's Golden Strand is out and once again it is fabulous! Want a good water stitch? Amy diagrammed one for you.  Would you like to know how to remove one bead that is in the wrong place or is the wrong color?  Amy tells you now.  Want to learn all about fish leather and how to use it?  Amy's got you covered!  Need a new magnet (White House, wool felted animal, shark, Americana, or Elvis)?  Amy probably has it in stock or can get it for you.  Just want to look at eye candy or see what new stitch guides Amy has available?  This is the newsletter for you!
http://www.amybunger.com/f/0616.pdf

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright  June 2, 2016 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Sky Stitches

If you don't happen to own a copy of the Stitch Landscape book and you need sky stitches, check this month's postings by Mary Legallet on her Whimsical Stitch blog. She is posting about her favorite sky stitches. 
http://www.whimsicalstitch.com/whimsicalwednesdays/2016/5/1/sweet-sky

http://www.whimsicalstitch.com/whimsicalwednesdays/2016/5/4/big-blue-skies

http://www.whimsicalstitch.com/whimsicalwednesdays/2016/5/11/starry-starry-night

http://www.whimsicalstitch.com/whimsicalwednesdays/2016/5/15/small-skies

http://www.whimsicalstitch.com/whimsicalwednesdays/2016/5/18/more-open-skies

http://www.whimsicalstitch.com/whimsicalwednesdays/2016/5/25/beetlestitch

http://www.whimsicalstitch.com/whimsicalwednesdays/2016/5/29/small-skies-part-2


Here is the Landscape book.  The others in the series are Ins and Outs and the brand new Winter.
http://www.amybunger.com/catalog/item/8549797/10206091.htm

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright May 1, 2016 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

BREAKING NEWS: IStitches Vol. Four is Now an App UPDATED

Ruth Schmuff's newest book--iStitches Volume Four--is now available as an app in the iTunes store. Details on the book and the previous three volumes (also available as Apple apps) are here.
http://www.notyourgrandmothersneedlepoint.com/2016/06/apps.html

Sorry, Android users. This only works on Apple iPhones and iPads.

UPDATE:  If you are getting the "not available" error messages when you try to download Vol. Four, wait a day and try again. I suspect too many people are trying to download this at once.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright  June 3, 2016 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

More About the Egyptian Cat's Nose

The Original Canvas, Unstitched

Yesterday Donna wrote:

The Egyptian cat...that you blogged about...black cats have black noses, that may be why none of the rose/coral colors look right. Do you ever make a color change when you do these stitch guides? If the cat is "painted" or "enamel" wouldn't the entire canvas have the same sheen? you would have only shadows to create dimension....

Before I answer Donna's question I want everyone to look at the unstitched version of the design from Tapestry Fair above.  Colors show up differently on computer monitors so I pulled out my DMC color card.  The nose is closest to DMC# 3341 in color with some darker #3340 shading at the bottom and outside edges of the nose.  The nose color is similar to the medium peachy-orange shade around the sides of the cat's face at the edges of the light orange square in the center of the canvas.

To answer Donna's question, yes, I do change colors occasionally when working a canvas. Normally I change a shade because the color painted isn't available in the threads I have in my stash.   On this canvas, the blue "eye liner" color is different in shade than the blue Splendor I am stitching it with, for example.  I usually rummage in my stash to choose colors of thread as there are no stitching shops near by.  I have been known to change colors as well, but usually it's because the thread type I want to use doesn't come in that color.  For me, texture trumps exact color matches and I use what threads I have at hand when I can.

Why did Tapestry Fair choose a different nose color than a traditional black?  I suspect because the cat has a black face.  A black nose next to black fur and black nostril holes is going to disappear into the design.  I can't think of any way to stitch a black nose that would make it visible, particularly in photographs. 

Shine?  Bling? Where?!

Cameras cannot see the shine of metallics or silks, and they are blind to the charms of beads and the glitter of sequins or the shadows these things throw.   When one stitches models and does stitch guides of them, you learn to accept that only the few shop owners who go to trade shows will ever see the full charm of a model one has stitched that incorporate sparkly items.   The photographs posted online will not capture the full impact of a design that uses any of these type things.  Above is Exhibit A--Leigh Designs' "Miami Gold Digger" in the best close up photo I could get.  You cannot see the metallic trim on her jacket, the shine of the beads on the flamingos purse, the silk sheen of the little dog or the sparkles in her jewelry.  Trust me, they are there, but neither my camera or my scanner can see them, even with sunlight bouncing off the beads and silks and metallics.

So in the case of the Egyptian cat,  I'll stick with the painted colors since this piece is an online study piece.  If I changed the nose to black, it would disappear in online photographs, making Tapestry Fair unhappy and not selling the stitch guides I hope to sell once I finish up the piece.

I'd also had enough of trying to stitch with black thread on black paint on this one anyway!

Does that answer your question, Donna?

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright June 2, 2016 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Breaking News: Strictly Christmas Has a Facebook Page!

Strictly Christmas Needlepoint has set up a Facebook page and is in the process of creating a website. I am very happy.  These fabulous designs need to be exposed on the Internet for those who have never seen them in a shop.
https://www.facebook.com/StrictlyChristmasNeedlepoint/

The website isn't ready yet but the Facebook page says they hope it will be available for browsing before the end of June 2016.
http://strictlychristmasetc.com

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright June 1, 2016 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.